CHAPTER SEVEN #2
‘OK, well, this probably isn’t the right time, but as I was nearby I thought … I’ve been wanting to talk to you since the other night when we … Well, you know, you were there.’ He laughed uneasily.
She eyed him stonily, having no idea what he was building up to, and not at all keen to find out.
‘I just wanted to ask how serious it is between you and this … David,’ he blurted, looking so unsure of himself, and so like their son during his rare moments of uncertainty, that it took the fire out of her anger surge.
Sounding more long-suffering than impatient, she said, ‘It really isn’t any of your business, Matthew, and frankly, I resent you asking.’
He swallowed. ‘OK, I deserved that, but after we … spent that time together the other night …’
‘It’s sounding to me as though you’re reading far too much into that …’
‘No. No, I’m not, I was just afraid you might and … Well, it’s not that I don’t want us to get back together, you know I do …’
‘This conversation’s over …’
‘No, wait,’ he cried, as she made for the door.
She turned back, eyes blazing. ‘If you seriously think I have spent a single minute thinking about the other night and the fact that for some deranged reason I let you sleep in my bed, then you are beyond delusional. For God’s sake, Matthew!
You start off by asking how serious I am about David, now you seem to think I’ve got designs on you … ’
‘I just wish you did,’ he cried helplessly, ‘and that everything could go back to the way it was. And you can hardly blame me for trying to find out how the land lies with Mr Guernsey …’
‘I’ve already told you, it’s none of your business, so if that’s all you’re here for …’
‘Actually, I wanted to see you,’ he admitted. ‘I don’t know why, but the world, everything, feels better when I’m with you …’
‘But you’re not with me. You have a different wife now and a child. Have you been in touch with them? What’s happening over there?’
Pushing a hand through his hair, he said, miserably, ‘Apparently Bear is missing me, although how that’s possible when I’ve only held him once for about three seconds, God only knows.’
She blinked. A long moment passed before he said, ‘Please don’t laugh.’
‘I wasn’t going to,’ she lied. Then, ‘You do realize that’s Marley saying she misses you, don’t you?’
He shrugged. ‘I guessed you’d have a clearer understanding of it than I do.’
Unable to believe how dense he could be, Cristy said, ‘So you’re here for me to tell you what to do next?’
‘I’m just not sure how to play it,’ he confessed.
‘One minute she doesn’t want me anywhere near her, or the baby, the next they’re missing me …
I can’t just fly over there. I’ve got a job and a son here to think about and if she’s determined to carry on living there …
Well, how’s that going to work for anyone? ’
‘I’ve no idea, Matthew, but as it isn’t my problem I’m not going to spend any more time on it. Now, if you don’t mind …’
‘Will he be there for Aiden’s gig tomorrow night?’ he asked, as she opened the door.
Realizing he meant David, she stopped, gave herself a moment and said, ‘No, he won’t, but before you start reading anything into that please let me tell you again …
We, you and I, do not have a future together outside of being parents to our children,’ and before he could say any more she walked back into the production office and slammed the door.
‘Oh dear, is this a bad time?’
Cristy looked up to find a short, plump woman with a playful pink bob and flashy red glasses staring at her sympathetically.
‘Isabelle Penny,’ she said, holding out a hand to shake. ‘But please call me Iz.’
*
‘Holy shit,’ Meena murmured later, when Cristy finished telling her all about Matthew and David.
They were at the Mud Dock Café with a bottle of wine between them on the table and a couple of menus they’d yet to look at.
‘Your personal life is all kinds of weird right now,’ she stated, ‘and frankly I don’t know what to tell you.
Apart from the fact that you know your ex is a cheating bastard.
I’m not sure I’d be able to trust him again if I were you … ’
‘It’s not even in my head to try,’ Cristy broke in heatedly.
Still seeming dubious, Meena refilled their glasses and, after they’d selected a few small plates to share, she said, ‘What about David? Do you really think he’s back with La Francaise? What’s she like, by the way?’
As she pictured Juliette, Cristy only wished she could shut the image down, or turn her into something that resembled a frog. ‘Think Sophie Marceau at her sultriest,’ she said.
Meena’s eyes widened with alarm. ‘Oh, dear,’ she murmured.
‘And she’s at least ten years younger than me.’
Looking even more worried, Meena said, ‘But she won’t have half your class.’
Cristy only wished it were true.
‘So why did they break up?’ Meena asked. ‘If she’s such a goddess.’
‘All I know is that she wanted to live in Paris and he was determined to stay in Guernsey, so they went their separate ways and now they only see one another … Actually I’ve no idea how often they see one another, but there’s no doubt she’s very at home when she’s there.’
‘Have you talked to him about her?’
Cristy shook her head. ‘I’m not quite sure how to bring it up without sounding petty, or jealous … Anyway, as I told you, we haven’t spoken since I left and for all I know she’s still there.’
‘But you don’t know that for certain.’
‘Maybe I don’t want to.’
Meena clearly wasn’t happy with that. ‘You have to confront this, Cristy,’ she said bossily, ‘and it’s not like you to shy away from a situation.
Ask him, outright, if he’s involved with her again.
Sure, it’ll be horrible for you if he is, but isn’t it better to know the truth so you can start moving on if you need to? ’
Unable to deny that, as much as she might not relish it, Cristy said, ‘Maybe this way we save one another the awkwardness of having to admit that we – he – made a mistake.’
‘But you have to be in touch anyway, for the podcast – didn’t you say he’s getting some information for you?’
‘He can give it to Connor, or Jacks, it doesn’t have to be me.’
Meena sat back in her chair and fixed her with a long hard stare. ‘Do you know what I think?’ she said in the end.
‘I know you’re going to tell me.’
‘I think you were so hurt by Matthew that you’re going into self-protection mode way before you need to. I mean, it’s not as if David hasn’t tried ringing, you said yourself he has …’
‘Once, and I left there over a week ago.’
‘… and what sort of message do you think you’re sending by not calling back?’
Cristy’s eyebrows rose sceptically. ‘He’ll know why I haven’t,’ she countered.
‘Really? Tell me what happened after he disappeared with La Francaise on New Year’s Day.’
‘With a bottle of wine, don’t forget.’
‘Didn’t you ask him about it when he came back? How long was he gone for?’
‘A couple of hours, I think.’
‘Was she with him the whole time?’
‘I presume so.’
‘Did she come back with him?’
‘No.’
‘So how was he with you after that?’
‘To be honest I didn’t see much of him – maybe I was avoiding him, I’m not sure, but I’d heard from the children by then so I was worried about them …’
‘But he slept with you that night? As in, you shared a bed?’
Cristy nodded and felt her heart contract at the way she’d feigned sleep when he’d come into the room. She simply hadn’t felt up to any sort of heavy discussion, and still hadn’t in the morning which was why she’d left the way she had.
‘And you haven’t been in touch since?’
Cristy shook her head.
‘Not even with his mother?’
‘Well, of course I’ve emailed her and she replied saying they’re all missing me. I don’t know if David’s included in that, but if he is he should be speaking for himself.’
Meena shook her head in dismay. ‘You need to have this out with him,’ she declared.
‘Maybe, but now I want to hear about your time in India …’
‘Hang on, before we go there, I hear Isabelle Penny dropped in on you today. How did it go?’
‘You mean Iz,’ Cristy said dryly. ‘And what little we saw of her decided us that she’s an unusual sort of person that could either grow on us, or drive us mad. Only time will tell. Now, back to you and your trip. How was your wonderful mother? And did you remember to send her my love?’
As Meena launched into a colourful and hilarious account of her and Harry’s Christmas in Mumbai, Cristy found herself laughing and unwinding in a way she hadn’t since leaving Guernsey.
Finally, after finishing the bottle and an extra glass each, they left by the iron steps of the old industrial building to wait for Meena’s Uber outside the cycle works. The night was icy cold and damp, but alive with Friday revellers as the city’s youngsters descended on the hotspots.
‘Are you going to be all right?’ Meena asked, as her driver pulled up alongside them.
‘Absolutely fine,’ Cristy assured her.
‘Why don’t I drop you?’
‘Because it’s in the opposite direction and it’ll take me five minutes to walk from here.’ Pulling her in for a hug, she said, ‘It was lovely to see you.’
‘You too,’ Meena smiled. ‘Just don’t be so hard on yourself, OK?’
‘Promise,’ and aware of her mobile vibrating she stood back for Meena to get into the car.
Please let it be him.
Moments later, as she took the phone from her bag, she saw that it was Hayley and decided not to answer.
She simply couldn’t face her daughter’s wise counsel this evening, so slid the phone back into her pocket and began walking towards the swing bridge.
By the time she’d crossed it and reached her apartment complex a message had arrived from Hayley.
She waited until she was inside, coat off, kettle on and feet up, before opening it.
Hey Mum, just checking in on you. Hope you’re OK – Dad keeps asking me if it’s serious between you and David. I hope it’s all right with you but I’ve ended up telling him ‘very’. David’s a good guy. He definitely gets my and Aiden’s vote.
Love you, call anytime.
H ?